What Happened to Fox News?

Fox News, a prominent American basic cable and satellite television channel owned by Fox Corporation, has experienced a tumultuous yet resilient period from late 2022 through early 2026. A pivotal moment occurred in April 2023 when Fox News settled a $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit brought by Dominion Voting Systems for $787.5 million. Dominion alleged that Fox News and its commentators knowingly broadcast false claims about its voting machines rigging the 2020 presidential election. Pre-trial discovery revealed internal communications indicating that prominent Fox News personalities and executives were aware the network was reporting false statements but continued to do so, reportedly to retain viewers.

Less than a week after the Dominion settlement, Fox News abruptly parted ways with its top-rated primetime host, Tucker Carlson, on April 24, 2023. While Fox did not provide a specific reason, reports suggested the decision came directly from Fox Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch, influenced by a pending discrimination lawsuit from a former producer and Carlson's controversial coverage of the January 6th Capitol insurrection. Other accounts cited Carlson's private messages criticizing network management and his perceived 'toxicity' and 'white supremacy' as contributing factors. His departure left a significant void in the network's primetime lineup, which was initially filled by guest hosts.

Concurrently, Fox News has been embroiled in another substantial defamation lawsuit, this one filed by Smartmatic, another voting technology company, seeking $2.7 billion in damages. Smartmatic alleges that Fox News hosts and guests also knowingly promoted falsehoods about its technology being used to rig the 2020 election. As of late 2025 and early 2026, the Smartmatic lawsuit is actively moving towards trial, with a New York appellate court rejecting Fox's attempts to dismiss the case in January 2025. In November 2025, a New York state judge denied Fox's motion to pause the lawsuit, emphasizing that delays would not be tolerated. Both sides have accused each other of deleting text message evidence, highlighting the contentious nature of the ongoing legal battle.

Despite these legal and personnel challenges, Fox News has demonstrated remarkable resilience in its viewership and financial performance. The network consistently led all of cable news in ratings throughout 2025, marking its highest-rated non-election year in history and even outpacing broadcast networks like NBC in weekday primetime viewers. This trend continued into the first quarter of 2026, with Fox News dominating cable news ratings for the 97th consecutive quarter in primetime viewership, driven by events such as military action in Venezuela and Iran, and political coverage. Fox Corporation's financial reports for fiscal year 2025 showed strong performance, with revenues reaching $16.30 billion, a 17% increase from the prior year, attributed to affiliate fees, advertising, and digital growth. The company also announced executive promotions in January 2026, reinforcing its editorial leadership. The network's flagship programs like 'The Five' and 'Jesse Watters Primetime' continue to be top performers.